Immortality and Cultivation: Starting with Improving Spiritual Root Aptitude

Four months later.

That day, Wu Fan had just returned from a stroll through Yunxi Market when he noticed that the market was becoming increasingly desolate.

Most shops are deserted, and even Bai Dan Tang, the leading shop supported by the Bai family, is not doing as well as before.

The root of all this, of course, is the news that the Bai family patriarch was injured.

In the four months since, the matter has become common knowledge, and cultivators in Yunxi Market talk about it almost constantly.

Wu Fan had overheard at least a dozen people discussing this matter in the short distance he had walked.

This was definitely not good news for him.

Not only has his monthly income from spirit stones decreased sharply, but he is also worried about his future cultivation environment.

However, this matter was far beyond the control of a nobody like him. Wu Fan could only sigh inwardly, return to his residence in the Hundred Pill Hall, calm his mind, and continue his daily cultivation.

More than three months passed in this way.

"Angkor..."

When Niu Dazhuang entered Wu Fan's residence, he was listless, as if the sky had fallen.

Wu Fan's heart tightened, and he quickly stood up and asked, "Dazhuang, what's wrong? What happened?"

After some questioning, Wu Fan learned the worst news from Niu Dazhuang.

The Bai and Deng families clashed at the border of their territories, resulting in heavy losses of young members on both sides.

The cause of the matter is rather far-fetched.

The Deng family claimed that their disciples stationed at the border had gone missing, and suspected that the Bai family was responsible. They then decided to break into the Bai family's territory to investigate.

The Bai family naturally refused, and the two sides first had a verbal argument, then the young cultivator in charge took the lead in a fight, and the conflict escalated.

Wu Fan saw through the key point at a glance.

This was clearly a deliberate provocation by the Deng family, an attempt to test the Bai family patriarch's true strength through conflict.

If the patriarch appears and his injuries are not serious, the Deng family will most likely know when to stop; but if the patriarch does not show up, the Deng family will definitely have bigger moves to make later.

Niu Dazhuang was dejected because the Bai family had decided to fight to the end and had ordered the mobilization of able-bodied young cultivators with combat capabilities to reinforce the border.

Anyone whose cultivation level reaches the mid-stage of Qi Refining must participate in the battle, regardless of whether they are a direct descendant or not.

As a cultivator who had married into the family, he was naturally among those recruited.

"Angkor, this is my savings over the years, divided into two parts. One part is for my wife and children, and the other part is with you."

Niu Dazhuang took out a gray cloth bag and placed it on the table. His voice was hoarse. "If I don't make it back this time, consider this money as a token of my gratitude for your care over the years."

Hearing these words, Wu Fan felt uneasy.

The two had known each other since childhood and shared a deep bond. He immediately comforted them, saying, "Don't worry, I know a little about physiognomy. I can tell you're not the kind of person who will die young. You'll definitely return safely this time. I'll keep these spirit stones for you for now and return them to you when you come back. I'll also give you a bottle of the Spirit Gathering Pill that you've been longing for."

Wu Fan's words made Niu Dazhuang feel a little better, and a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes, but then he immediately collapsed again: "But my combat skills are too poor. I've only focused on cultivation these past few years and haven't learned any powerful spells. I only have one very ordinary magic weapon... Going to the front lines, I'm afraid..."

He became increasingly flustered as he spoke, and his lips began to turn pale.

Seeing his expression, Wu Fan laughed: "Dazhuang, this isn't a flaw, it's actually a strength!"

"advantage?"

Niu Dazhuang was stunned, his face full of confusion.

"Knowing you're not good at combat, you won't be like those self-important cultivators who try to show off on the battlefield and become some kind of prodigy among your peers. You'll definitely observe the situation cautiously and prioritize survival. This will greatly increase your chances of survival."

As Wu Fan explained, he took out a tortoise-shell shield from his storage bag. "This defensive magic artifact was actually seized when we were killing and intercepting cultivators together back then. I'm giving it to you now. This is all I can do to help you. Make sure you come back safely."

Looking at the tortoise shell shield on the table, Niu Dazhuang could no longer hold back. This nearly two-meter-tall man suddenly leaned against Wu Fan's shoulder, tears and snot streaming down his face.

Wu Fan didn't push him away, but stayed quietly by his side until his shoulders were soaked. Only then did Niu Dazhuang raise his head and choke out, "Brother Wu, there's something else... Don't tell Tao'er about the spirit stones I left here, whether I come back or not."

"Forehead......"

Wu Fan was speechless for a moment.

So it turns out that what this kid left here was his secret stash of money!

He usually seems honest and unassuming, I never expected him to have such thoughts.

"Angkor, I'm leaving."

Niu Dazhuang wiped the tears off his face with his hand, took a deep breath, and said.

"Okay, I'll wait for you to come back and we can have a drink."

Wu Fan sighed softly and personally escorted Niu Dazhuang out of the market, only turning back when he could no longer see Niu Dazhuang's back.

Back at his residence, Wu Fan frowned and fell into deep thought.

At this critical juncture, why did the Bai family dare to be so tough on the Deng family, even willing to fall into their trap? Was it to stabilize the morale of the clan, or was the patriarch's injury so serious that he could only rely on "toughness" to divert public opinion?

Suddenly, Wu Fan's eyes lit up, and a bold idea surged into his mind.

Perhaps, the Foundation Establishment ancestor of the Bai family wasn't injured at all?

The idea sent chills down his spine.

Using the safety of the entire family as bait to fish is far too risky. A slight misstep could cause morale to collapse and attract even more covetousness from the Deng family.

But if that's true, then the Bai family patriarch is playing a grand game.

Playing such a grand game at such a high cost, what will the reward be?

Wu Fan tossed and turned in bed, then suddenly sat up abruptly.

Yes, it's to cover up the Foundation Establishment Pill!

Could it be that the Foundation Establishment Pill wasn't lost at all?

The Bai family intends to take this opportunity to secretly cultivate a second Foundation Establishment cultivator.

This idea is terrifying!

But what he could think of, those cunning old foxes in the Deng family might not have thought of either.

It seems that the Deng family was just testing the waters this time, and the conflict between the two sides will not escalate into a full-scale war in the short term.

In this way, he might be able to stay in Yunxi Market for a while longer.

Wu Fan prayed silently that the conflict between the two families could be prolonged, until he had cultivated to the late stage of Qi Refining and gained the ability to protect himself.

After all, only when he reaches the late stage of Qi Refining can he afford to search for the Foundation Establishment Pills needed for Foundation Establishment.

With his mid-grade spiritual root aptitude, the chances of him establishing his foundation on his own without a Foundation Establishment Pill are extremely slim.

Moreover, only after establishing his foundation can he more easily find items that allow the Five Elements Bead to absorb the essence of the five elements.

Over the years, he has been searching around the market and found that items that can make the Five Elements Beads sense the source are now quite rare, and their prices are ridiculously high, making them rare treasures.

He simply doesn't have the capacity to spend such a huge amount of money to nourish the Five Elements Pearl right now; otherwise, his cultivation progress would definitely fall behind, and delaying his Foundation Establishment would be a huge loss.

Fortunately, at the last gathering, he consulted Jiang Ling about some sect-related issues, and her answers gave him a clear plan for his future cultivation path.

With this thought in mind, Wu Fan felt a little more at ease, sat cross-legged again, and began to cultivate.